Manufacturing Success

Success is Manufactured
by: Lawrence Watkins

I remember it like it was yesterday. I’m sitting in Perkins Restaurant as we finished our Friday morning bible study class in Louisville, KY. With me was Carl Brazley, my closest and most creative mentor. We were about to start one of our usual mentoring sessions that we had about once per month. This session was special as he shared his wisdom about success that has become fundamental in my life philosophy.

Mr. Brazley asked me two questions right off the bat: “What does success mean to me?” and “How will I go about achieving it?” I shared with him my personal mission statement that I had recently developed at the LeaderShape program in Champaign, IL. It states that “I want to become a tycoon politically, socially, and economically so that I may have a positive impact on my community.” Mr. Brazley then said, “That’s great! Now how are you going to ACHIEVE your mission?” This was the question that I was still trying to figure out. I had seen ultra-successful all around me in person or on TV, but I found the process mystifying at times.

Mr. Brazley continued, “Lawrence, don’t believe the hype that you see on TV when it comes to people who you view as successful. The media loves stories about self mad millionaires and billionaires, but rarely are they self made.” What he said next changed my perspective, “Here is what they [the media and often the individual in question] don’t want you to know: Success is manufactured! Many successful people have other hidden influential people in the background guiding them on the right path. Giving them the connections that they need to accelerate their success. This is what I am going to do with you Lawrence.” Whoa!! Talk about some heavy material!

The Real Secret Sauce of Success

I researched the statement that Mr. Brazley made further and I started to read more about individuals who I view to be successful. I was very surprised at the results/trends that I found. Let’s start with Donald Trump, the King of the Self Made…His father had over $100 million in real estate by the time he was born. Warren Buffett (a major influence in my thinking), the Sage of Omaha… His father was a stockbroker and four-term congressman from the state of Nebraska. What about Bill Gates? His mother sat on the board of directors of a bank and his father was a prominent Seattle attorney. The more people that I researched, the more surprised I became. Then I started to feel apprehensive, “What do I need to become successful?”

There are two things that I don’t want to happen by sharing this story with you:

1. I do not want to relegate or belittle the accomplishments of successful people just because they come from a well connected family. The people mentioned above are all extremely intelligent and have a strong work ethic. It’s also important not to hide facts about people’s environment as if that doesn’t play a critical role in success.

2. I do not want you to feel like the situation is hopeless if you don’t come from a rich and powerful family. Throughout this article, I’m going to teach you how to create your own “synthetic power family.”

Your Synthetic Family of Networks

If you don’t come from a rich and well connected family, do not worry about it. It is not the end all, be all. In fact, I know many people who come from well-to-do families, but their lives are in shambles. Money and entitlement can be hindrances to living a WEALTHY LIFE just as much as they can be assets. I come from a solidly middle class family where my father was a high-ranking police official and my mother was a high school guidance counselor. I was able to use this base to expand even further and broaden my experiences to study at Phillips Academy Andover, Carnegie Mellon University, and now Cornell. The most beautiful part is that I have paid very little for my educational experience and it’s because I created a synthetic family to help me achieve my goals.

A synthetic family is not the family you were born with, but one that you created that helps provide the resources you need to accomplish goals. I’m not just talking about money, but also advice and connections as well. Having a synthetic family is not a substitute for your real family, proper planning, or an intelligent work ethic (see my Pareto and Parkinson article). I view the synthetic family as an accelerator of the success process. The great thing about the synthetic family is that it is easy to start and replicate.

Be Your Own Barack Obama

After President Obama (wow, that sounds great) won the election for United States President in November, he had to move his actions from campaigning mode to governing mode. Immediately, Obama selected Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff and then dozens of other appointments were announced in the following weeks. President Obama surrounded himself with individuals who have a greater knowledge about different aspects of governance than he does. When President Obama and his advisors meet about the current economic situation, the advisors give their expert opinions about what Obama should do. After that, President Obama escorts them out of the room and then makes the decision he feels will be best for the country.

I ask, “What’s keeping you from being your own Barack Obama?” I urge you to assemble your own personal board of advisors to help you when you have a tough decision to make. There is not a human being on the face of the planet who knows everything. Seek out those individuals who have general wisdom as well as those who have specific expertise. Bring them into your family and achieve your goals more effectively.

The Early Bird Gets the Worm

One of the great myths of networking is that you start reaching out to others when you need something. The people who really succeed in building relationships know that you need to start building way BEFORE you need anything. This is especially true if you are thinking of opening your own business. Many people start the networking process too late in the game. Prospective entrepreneurs think about details like incorporating or the specific name of their company. Although those tasks are important, they have much less influence over your business success compared to relationship building.

Immediately after graduating from college I worked for my brother, Dr. Boyce Watkins. My job was to book him for speaking engagements and manage his growing national media profile. I knew long before I started to work for him that I wanted to start my own company and I took steps to achieve this goal. For example, when Boyce would appear on a national TV show, he was often on the show with other high profile guests. We would make sure to collect that person’s contact information and follow up with him/her right away. When I started Great Black Speakers Bureau, those were my first speakers. Make sure to always begin with an end in mind!

Overcome your Fear of Rejection

Bestselling author and networking guru Keith Ferrazzi calls this the “genius of audacity.” If you never ask for what you want, very rarely do you ever get what you want. The two major emotions that stop people from asking are the fear of rejection from the other person and a feeling that the other person is better than you. Question: What’s going to have a longer impact on your life? FEAR of rejection or FAILING to reach your goals? The answer to this question for me is not reaching the goals I set out to accomplish. In this scenario, rejection MIGHT happen but failure WILL happen.

Follow Up and Stay in Touch

If the yin is overcoming your fears and asking for what you want, then the yang is following up with your contacts. This is something that I have personally struggled with lately as my number of contacts has grown significantly. However, I have noticed a direct correlation between my rate of follow up and the amount of success I achieve over any period of time. It is funny how people spend so much time making new contacts and so little time following up with them. This reminds me of the local ladies man who is only interested in the chase of a woman. Once he gets her, he then loses interest. In business and in life, don’t be this person! It is much more expensive to attain a new client/contact/friend than to maintain the ones you already have. I am not telling you to not meet new people, just do right by them when you do meet them for long lasting business/personal relationships.

Be Aware Of The Difference Between Barack Obama and Obama Administration

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By Dr. Boyce Watkins
www.BoyceWatkins.com

During my recent trip to New York, I was stunned after watching US Airways passengers standing on the icy wings of an airplane floating on the Hudson River. It was only after looking at my cancelled ticket that I realized I was scheduled to fly out of the same city, in the same airport, with the same airline on the same day, at the same time as the people on that flight. They were going to Charlotte and I wasn’t, but that’s still too close for comfort.

In spite of invitations I have to speak and live in big cities, I stay isolated here in Syracuse so I can search for my personal perception of truth within the deepest components of my heart. I seek ideology that is disconnected from hype, politics, financial compensation or other tools used for the tainting of souls and manipulation of minds. I chose not to go to the inauguration and I’ve rarely watched television, all because I wanted to figure out how I feel about recent events without allowing CNN or anyone else to tell me how I should feel.

This morning I watched a Black man….a real brother, Barack Obama, stand and take the oath as President of the United States. When I endorsed Barack long before he appeared to ever have a chance of winning, it was honestly just wishful thinking. I supported the campaigns of Barack, Jesse and Al, mainly because I never believed Bill Clinton to be (as some called him) the First Black President. I also saw something in Barack’s eyes and mannerisms that made me trust him. My “brother radar” gave security clearance, and I knew that only a real Black man would marry an amazing woman like Michelle Obama (the woman I came closest to marrying is actually a beautiful attorney who reminds me of Michelle). I also saw something in Obama’s poise and intelligence that made me believe that he would be good for our nation. My only concern was that I was not sure if a nation willing to elect incompetent men like George Bush would have the vision necessary to choose the best man or woman for the job.

I don’t do media appearances on Fox News anymore mainly because I was disappointed by their attacks on Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright. I was even more upset with Bill O’Reilly’s statements about having a “lynching party” against Michelle Obama, and the light-hearted death threats made by Fox News Analyst Liz Trotter, who stated that she would “take (Obama) out if she could”. I love Barack Obama, and I was inspired by his ability to make the impossible possible. Like all of us, I was happy to sacrifice to help get him into the White House.

But while I support Barack Obama, I never let myself get into Obama-mania.

While I felt the need to show up and vote, I never chose to “Barack the Vote”.

My position has always been simple: Falling in love with a politician can be a very dangerous thing, and I simply wasn’t going to do it.

Like Barack Obama, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was another President who took over our country during a tough economic time. When Black leaders met with Roosevelt to discuss their justifiable indignation over Civil Rights abuses throughout the nation, Roosevelt simply told them, “I agree with you and I want to do it. Now go out and make me do it.”

The interpretation of Roosevelt’s words is that after the celebrations are over and we’ve come back to reality, we must be sure to do what is necessary to effectively utilize this opportunity. Barack Obama is a good man, I know this from speaking to my contacts on the South Side of Chicago. But we must work hard to ensure that Barack THE MAN aligns squarely and firmly with Barack THE POLITICIAN. We must always be aware of the difference between BARACK OBAMA and the OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.

BARACK OBAMA believes that public schools should get all the funding they need and that education is critically important.

The OBAMA ADMINISTRATION knows that children don’t vote or pay taxes.

BARACK OBAMA knows that 30 – 40% Black male unemployment is an economic tragedy.

The OBAMA ADMINISTRATION knows that being too closely aligned with issues effecting Black men is neither politically productive nor popular in a country that still doesn’t like Black people all that much, especially if they are poor.

BARACK OBAMA knows that, in spite of having a Black President, institutionalized racism in wealth and income levels, health care disparities and other areas will take at least another 100 years to eradicate. He is also intelligent enough to know that reparations are long overdue.

The OBAMA ADMINISTRATION knows that talking about racism using the same language as the United Nations (who states clearly that America continues to maintain a two-tiered society) is something that many Americans simply do not want to hear.

So, as we live in the bliss of “Obama-mania”, please consider this:

The dictionary defines “mania” as “A severe medical condition characterized by elevated moods, energy, unusual thought patterns and sometimes psychosis. Some symptoms are fixation, madness, compulsion, craving, craze, delirium, dementia, derangement, disorder, fad, fancy, fascination, fetish, insanity, lunacy and obsession.”

Like bottles of strong liquor, mania feels good. However, it should only be temporary. You also need designated drivers to keep the political house party under control and get everyone back home safely. Those who remain “high” and detached from reality are easy targets for emotionally void and disturbingly rational political administrations. Any good politician with constituents living in the midst of mania logically understands that there is very little work to do. No one campaigns in the regions they already control.

So, as Roosevelt explained in the example above, we can best show our love for President Obama by being politically intelligent, diligently resourceful, well-organized and focused on the issues. Political engines like the Obama Administration only understand those with the power to churn those engines. The easiest trick in the world is to make us think that racism is over because we have a Black President. Let’s keep our eyes on the prize.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University. He does regular commentary in national media, including CNN, BET, ESPN and CBS. For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com.

Will Swap The Black President For These Things

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

Barack Obama’s voice booms high into the clouds as our nation’s president. But it is also a voice that is sometimes muted by policy, distorted by conflicting agendas and distracted by the complexities of the world in which we live. I find myself mildly disturbed by the excessive celebration within our community, as if winning this political popularity contest has somehow finally validated us as a people. It is scary when the measure of a Black person's success is captured by the degree of favor he has obtained with his historical oppressors. I will never believe that winning the White House is the greatest achievement in Black History, nor was it the greatest sacrifice. The greatest achievements were made by those who worked for us to be truly empowered and the sacrifice was made by those who died to clear President Obama’s path. Achieving prominence on the plantation is not nearly as meaningful as achieving independence.

Before we conclude that we live in a post-racial America, we must remember that many of the men and women who voted for Barack Obama would not be happy to see your Black sons dating their daughters. While we see that the White House has a Black face, we must remember that the majority of our nation’s most esteemed universities still only bring in Black people to dribble basketballs (if you went to college, count the number of Black Professors you had during your 4 years who were not in an African American studies Department). Most of the media outlets you watch on TV are controlled by people who are not Black, yet they consistently impact the self-perception of Black children by bombarding them with negative Black imagery (i.e. DL Hughley's new show on CNN). Most of our nation's wealth is controlled by the descendants of slave masters, with poverty being inherited by descendants of slaves. There is a lot of work to do, we can’t forget that.

So, while having a Black President is a wonderful thing, it’s not the most wonderful thing I can think of. I would GLADLY trade a Black President for any of the following:

Another Malcolm X – Malcolm is likely the most under-appreciated American in our nation’s history, since his legacy is not as amenable to the excessive commercialization and mainstream comfort of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King achieved political gains and Barack gave us the White House, both of which can be taken away in an instant. Malcolm gave us something far more permanent – our self-respect and desire for economic independence. Since America will never give Malcolm much respect, it is up to us to remember that he is every bit as significant as Barack Obama and Martin Luther King, Jr. We should all memorize Malcolm's birthday right now.

10 Black Warren Buffets – my good friend and wildly successful money manager, Bill Thomason, brought up an undeniable point: if we as African Americans do not get ourselves together financially, we will never have true power. America is a capitalist democracy, and we cannot forget that money makes this world go round. Rather than teaching our children to get jobs, we need to teach them how to CREATE jobs. Rather than trying to wiggle our way up the corporate ladder, we should be creating the buildings that the ladders lean against. Wealth is more powerful than racism any day of the week.

An era of enlightened and educated professional and college athletes – The Black male athlete possesses many keys to the economic and social liberation of Black America. Many HBCUs can’t pay the light bill, but Black Athletes earn at least $2 Billion dollars per year for universities that don’t hire Black coaches or Black Professors (March Madness, for which athletes are not paid, earns more ad revenue than the Super Bowl and the World Series COMBINED). The powers that be know the potential influence and reach of an educated and empowered Black athlete, which is why they work overtime to keep them uneducated: when many athletes come to college, coaches pick their classes for them and some can’t even read at graduation. They keep them focused on the bling so they will take their eyes off the prize. These young men are taught like sheep to embrace intellectual mediocrity so their handlers can earn fortunes at their expense. They are granted the greatest power in our society as long as they prove that they are unwilling to use it. If these men were to ever wake up and fight for something bigger than themselves (as Muhammad Ali and Jim Brown once did), it would be absolutely earth shattering.

A Quality Public Education System – Rather than declaring a War on Terror, we should declare War on inferior inner city education. Instead of bailing out the rich guys on Wall Street, we should be bailing out our children who are stuck in the preschool to prison pipeline. Hundreds of thousands of potential Barack Obamas are being tossed in an educational landfill every year, as Black boys are 5 times more likely to be placed in Special Education as White kids (I was one of those boys). This is a damn shame.

Complete Overhaul of the Prison System – If you ever want to see slavery in the 21st century, one only need look as far as our nation’s prisons. There is little effort to rehabilitate, and the impact on the physical health and socio-economic stability of the Black family has been devastating. President Obama and others should confront the prison industrial complex immediately and stop the human rights abuses taking place in our nation's prisons.

Now that people are saying that President Obama’s success implies that there is no more racism, our job becomes much more difficult. President Obama and others must be consistently asked to pull their weight so that we can get a return on our investment in the Presidential popularity contest. But while we expect President Obama to lead us, we must also remember that it is important to lead him as well. The fight is just beginning.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of “What if George Bush were a Black Man?” For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com. To join the Dr. Boyce Money list, please click here.

Syracuse Prof Boyce Watkins Statement on Barack Obama

I recall endorsing Barack Obama back when it was simply wishful thinking to hope for a Black President. During a CNN appearance over a year ago, I mentioned that his backing by Oprah Winfrey would change Obama from being “Hillary Clinton’s black baby brother” into a man who could run one of the most significant presidential campaigns in American history. This is one of the few times when I enjoy being able to say, “I told you so.”

President Obama is, quite simply, the Tiger Woods of American politics: another Black man of mixed heritage, who used the power of tremendous focus, creativity, intelligence and preparation to do the impossible. Like his counterpart Tiger Woods (who happens to be a Republican), Obama went into the domain of White males and dominated in ways that simply transcended his chosen field. Similar to the way that Tiger’s greatness attracted droves of fans that’d never cared much about golf, Obama brought in millions of voters who would never have cared much about a presidential election.

I am proud of Barack Obama for the way he ran his campaign. His choice of advisors and campaign strategy has changed the face of American politics for the next 100 years. He dismantled the “Death Star Clinton Regime” through the use of innovative, daring and powerful tactics, a sound choice of advisors and lots of good old fashioned intelligence.

I am proud of Barack Obama for liberating our minds. For the first time in quite a while, millions of Black boys had a chance to see an intelligent Black man consistently profiled in “mainstream” media. This man showed our kids that you can be a “balla” without dribbling a basketball and a major “playa” without being played. Greatness is not achieved with a football, a hand gun or a microphone; it is achieved with a textbook, a college diploma and a sound economic plan.
I was proud of Barack Obama long before he became our president. I don’t need validation from the rest of America to feel good about whom we are as a people. We were just as great, just as strong, and just as accomplished and just as meaningful on November 3 as we are right now. The presidential election is essentially a popularity contest which leads to uncomfortable tradeoffs and “deals with the devil” that reduce the glitter of addictive political gold. The respect I give Barack Obama for raising hundreds of millions of dollars to get access to the Whitehouse is matched by the respect I give Dr. Julianne Malveaux for raising tens of millions of dollars to educate young Black women at Bennett College. Being President of the United States is not what makes Barack Obama a great man: He is a great man because he is a great man.

I am proud of Barack Obama for marrying Michelle, who served as one of my primary reasons for trusting him. I have a hard time imagining a man who can sleep with Michelle Obama every night and not be influenced by her beautiful mind. Michelle Obama is not a “buppy” soccer mom, Stepford Wife, or wannabe Barbara Bush. Michelle is a super sharp and relentless “sister girl”, who demands the most of her African American husband. She makes the first family as beautiful as Barack Obama makes it strong.

I am proud of Barack Obama for his willingness to take his life and career into the lion’s den. He inherits a terrible economy, an unjust war, a sickening healthcare system and an educational system which cripples our children for life. Like the first Black football coaches in the NCAA, Obama has been granted the reigns of a team with a serious losing record. Furthermore, he must bend and twist to satisfy citizens of the same country that was naïve enough to consider mediocre characters like George Bush and Sarah Palin to possibly run our great nation. I sincerely wish Obama the best as he attacks these problems, and I hope that this brilliant Black man with the middle name “Hussein” can negotiate the balance between our quest for a better world and America’s consistent commitment to anti-intellectualism.

As proud as I am of President Obama, I am also proud of America for showing that it has the ability to choose the right person for the job, instead of the right WHITE person for the job. By choosing Obama, we have shown our capacity for fairness, and how much progress we’ve made to overcome some of our racial demons of the past. The easiest thing to do, however, is to think that having a Black president is going to change the lives of most Black people. The reality is that BLACK PEOPLE THEMSELVES is going to change the lives of Black people and if we do not embrace the power of financial independence and unity, we will simply remain perpetual socio-economic slaves in the domain of a new overseer. The same way America rolled back the political gains of the 1960s, the Washington-based rewards of the new millennium could be just as fleeting.

President Obama did his job, now it’s time for us to do ours. Good luck over the next 4 years.

Black Finance Professor Speaks Out "Against D.L. Hughley Breaks the News"

Dr. Boyce Watkins
www.BoyceWatkins.com
Hey peeps!
The response I received from you guys on the new CNN show, “DL Hughley Breaks the News” was overwhelming. Within 20 minutes of sending out the email statement, we had an entire inbox full of messages expressing extreme disappointment in CNN and this offensive new show. This helped me realize that we need to do something about it.
Our goal is to present an intelligent, dignified and firm response to CNN, letting them know that programming based on racial stereotypes is not acceptable. Political satire can be quite funny, but it must be intelligent, balanced and conscientious. This is not the brand of humor presented in “DL Hughley Breaks the News”, which went back to the same degrading media stereotypes and disturbing images that scholars and consumers have been upset about for decades. Senator Obama opened the door for us to see ourselves as educated, enlightened and empowered, so the last thing we need is to be readmitted to the asylum of pimps, thugs, criminals and buffoons.
A sample letter you can use to contact CNN is presented below. You can get the contact information at this link. You can also forward this link and email to anyone you believe to share your sentiments regarding how our community should respond to this painful and disappointing new show. If you wish to hear my personal comments on the topic, please click here.
Finally, don’t forget that we are going to “Get our paper straight in 2008”, so if you wish to join our group for Dr. Boyce Financial Advice, please click here.
The sample letter is below. You can get contact information for key decision-makers at CNN by clicking here. Remember: Change won’t start with Obama or McCain. Meaningful change is going to start with US.
To CNN and its key decision-makers,
As a member of the Your Black World coalition, I am writing to inform you that I found your recently released show, “DL Hughley Breaks the News” to be a tremendous disappointment. While I certainly respect CNN’s effort to develop itself as “The most trusted name in news”, I did not find the new DL Hughley show to be consistent with the degree of trust that CNN has worked to obtain with the American public.
The 2008 Presidential campaign represents an amazing landmark for change within our country by allowing an African American male to present himself to the world as a dignified and educated member of our society, an image which lies in stark contrast to media representations confining Black men to being criminals, rappers, athletes and entertainers. I found it disheartening that this progress was reversed by CNN’s decision to create a show which relied on the very same stereotypes to build a consistent stream of laughs at the expense of African Americans everywhere. The show was also degrading to those in the broader community who support the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama, and who wish to see our great country move past the deep and painful wounds created by our nation’s legacy of racial inequality.
We ask that you discontinue the show, “DL Hughley Breaks the News”, and consider a brand of political humor that is respectful to all ethnicities and shows greater appreciation for the tremendous gains made in the 2008 Presidential election. Perhaps then, CNN can regain its status as “The most trusted name in news”.
Sincerely,
The Your Black World Coalition

Whoopi Goldberg & Hasselbeck Spar Over N-Word

In Debra Dickerson's words, "you guys(white people) are not the senior partner in this discussion":-

Amir Sulaiman Speaks To YBW On Music, Love & More

Interview with Spoken Word Artist and Activist, Amir Sulaiman, by Tolu Olorunda.

Amir Sulaiman is a renowned poet, activist, recording artist, and a 2 time HBO Def Poet. Sulaiman is a household name in the world of Spoken Word Poetry. His brand of poetry has garnered him much adulation from those who have come across his unmitigated-ingenuity. Amir has performed – and still performs - at countless colleges, universities, high schools and community centers. He has shared the stage alongside such artists as, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Lauryn Hill, KRS-One, Pharoah Monch, Floetry, The Roots, Goapele, Stevie Wonder, The Last Poets and Dead Prez. As a member of “Youth Speaks” in the Bay Area, California, Amir works in mentoring and teaching kids, by way of spoken word, and a focus on the union of art and education. He is a visionary and a monument of inspiration, who believes that the power of love can disempower the stranglehold of narcissism in our society. With a passion comparable to none, Amir Sulaiman has managed to prolong the legacy of such trail-blazers as “The Last Poets.” I had the pleasure of speaking extensively with him on issues of direct relevance to our society, and the world at large:

Thanks for joining us, Bro. Sulaiman; can you start by informing us of your musical background, and the pathway leading up to “Cornerstone Folklore” – the album?

Well, Cornerstone Folklore was my very first album – which very few people have. It was composed of just acappella poems, and these poems were a collection of everything I had done up to that point. I started writing around the age of 12, and continued through Junior High and High School, but I got a lot more intense with it in college. Cornerstone Folklore in some ways is my origin and my favorite album. Cornerstone Folklore has a double meaning. The “Cornerstone” aspect of it is, giving honor to the ancient tradition that we have – involving the didactic stories, inspirational stories and cautionary tales that we have in our tradition -- as black people in America, and also as Africans. And, the Folklore element of it is the urban element – particularly the Hip-Hop era – from the ‘80s, ‘90s and present.

Now, it was in 2006 when you stormed the stage of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, and delivered the mind-gripping poem “Danger.” Can you dissect Danger and explain its symbolism?

Well, Danger is what most of my poetry is about – expressing for those who can’t express for themselves. So, there are people who don’t have a voice – whether it’s because they are disenfranchised, impoverished, their economical status, their age, or incarcerated – but need their stories told. Danger was meant to facilitate their voices to be heard, and give them a platform to be noticed. So, I started off saying, “I am not angry, I am anger;” and that was meant to show that this wasn’t just about me, but about the collective membership that I represent. And, most people have informed me that the poem inspired and motivated them when they first heard it.

Following up the “Danger” performance, the ACLU and Amnesty International broke reports of you being questioned by FBI Agents; can you enlighten us on that exchange?

Six days after the poem on HBO, the FBI came to my house and followed me around. They did it in a fashion that alerted me -- so it wasn’t clandestine. They also came to the school where I was teaching, and got the names and personal addresses of my students. So, that process showed me the power of the word, and reminded me that most of my heroes we’re in like-manner, known for the power of their words and brought into questioning by the same organization. After that encounter, I wrote an op-ed about it, called “The High Cost of Freedom of Speech.”

Your classic album, “Like a Thief in the Night,” was released in May last year. Pls. explain the process of creating that project, and your motivation during production?

Well, the project artistically went in a new direction for me, because I was inspired to blend poetry and instrumentals on it. On the album, I was craving poetry songs, and so the format was different from my earlier projects. It was also different because it was my first album to have a major distribution, which opened me up to an international audience. It was more so different, because this was the first time that I had featured multiple guests and producers on my album. I consider poetry a solo enterprise -- where one writes the poems and recites the poems. So, cooperating with other artists brought something out of me that I couldn’t bring out on my own. In that sense, Like a Thief in the Night was very influential to me as an artist. I chose that title, because I believe the purpose of life is to stay awake; and if we could stay awake to witness our honor, beauty and miracles, it would inspire us with the power to achieve whatever we were designed to achieve. But, if we fall asleep to depression or a victim-mentality, we won’t be effective; so our spirit has to be awake to witness God.

I want to move on to politics and then back to music in a second. As an outspoken Muslim, what is your assessment of the rise of Islamic consciousness -- following Senator Obama’s announcement of his presidential-run, and how do you gauge the Obama campaign’s response towards it?

Well, the question of Obama for me is two-sided – as I have to look at it from a Black Man’s perspective and a Muslim’s perspective. It is hard for me to put a finger on it, because he represents a symbol of hope, and appeals more as a person than as a politician; but, with the two incidents involving the Muslim Women wearing Hijabs, and Rep. Keith Ellison, it is a definite blow. It is unfortunate that Barack Obama has a problem with the Muslim community – which overwhelmingly loves and supports him. Also, his defense to the controversy surrounding him being an alleged Muslim, insinuates something fundamentally wrong with being Muslim. He treats it as though it’s an insult, and being a Muslim is problematic. So, I want to observe how he navigates this moment, and see if he lives up to the expectations; also, I’m aware that the pressure of the presidential office sort of bends candidates against their will.

Now, if you don’t mind, I would like to select certain songs from Like a Thief in the Night and have you deconstruct the science behind them. On “They don’t know,” you speak of our past – comprising of victories and losses – having an impact on our present state; can you explain that dynamic, and how we can draw both correction and inspiration from our history?

Well, generally for anything, the past always impacts the present, and the present is a product of the past. So that, in one way, for Black people in America, we have this idea that our home is Africa, and in other way, we say our home is in America; and I think both of those things are true. We are an indigenous people, and we had a pre-Columbus presence here. We are as indigenous as the Bush and Cheney family – and probably even more so. So, with that, one half wants to leave this land, and the other half says, ‘This is my house -- which my grandmothers and grandfathers built.’ Now, with that comes a certain responsibility and mental-determination to fix the problems we are experiencing, and “They don’t know” explains that reality. So, I want us to think for a moment, on topics such as, the history of crack, and if indeed it originated from some random person in L.A playing around with baking soda and cocaine; and, I want us to think beyond the present to find the answers from the past.

“How beautiful” was a soul-stirring ballad, where you lamented the degenerating self-esteem of Black Women; please elaborate on that?

It is a well-known fact that our women are treated most poorly than any other demographic in America – which is a shame on us. So, out of that shame, I wrote the poem expressing the beauty of Black Women -- in hope that they recognize it.

On the closing theme, “Killers,” you presented a different context to homicide within our community -- nevertheless pointing out the ramifications of such atrocities; can you break down the line of “Most killers don’t want to kill,” and “most of the dead don’t want to die?”

Well, “Killers” was one of my favorite songs when creating the album. But, if you can imagine in your mind, a young man killing another young man - with the realization that the killer doesn’t really want to commit the murder, and the victim certainly not wanting to die - you start asking certain questions like, “why is this happening?” Most of the time, both parties more than likely don’t want to be involved in that situation; so they become “Gladiators” -- even without the will-power to act in such manner. And I was pondering with that idea, that thousands of homicidal victims have been killed, without the desire for it -- which is a very peculiar and strange circumstance.

Lastly, on “I love you” – an emotional tribute to black heritage – you wanted to stress the importance of caring and selflessness. As a messenger of love – with the understanding that most black people are suffering severely from self hatred – how can love heal the wounds that have scarred our community, and what are effectual means of injecting that ‘serum’ back into our communities?

Yes; this question is ‘the question’ – as love is the cure of all ailments. All the cooperation that goes on between elements of the universe is a manifestation of love. Without love, there is no life, and if you find hatred, you find death. Hatred cannot generate life, and you cannot live simultaneously with hatred in your heart. Every time you hate, something in you has to die. So, love and selflessness necessitates surrendering one’s ego. Ego feeds off hate, and has the need to defend itself. Our level of love therefore has to transcend our ego. If our love transcends our ego, we will remain infinite, but if our love fails to transcend our ego, our life will only be as big as an ego – and an ego is only an illusion, in and of itself – which would make us meaningless; and only when we achieve selflessness, can we expect the Kingdom of God on Earth.

On the subject of your ministry through music, Abi Odun from “The Last Poets” joined you on the track, “We Are the Revolution.” Do you consider your musical-style more in tune with the legacy of the last poets?

Very much; they are my fathers – without a doubt, and they invite me into their house, to counsel me and advise me. I consider myself in their tradition, and find my music in line with them. I also want to be an inspiration to the up-and-coming generation of poets -- so “The Last Poets” are very essential to my music.

Finally, what are your upcoming projects and ventures?

Well, one of my projects is the Cornerstone Folklore tour – which is a very important venture for me. We did the tour in Atlanta and Sweden, and we’re looking to perform in Africa very soon. I try to present new artists and showcase new talents with the tour. Also, I’m working on my next project, which is called “The Meccan Opening.” I’m almost done with it, and it is expected to be released early next year or later this year.

Thanks for the time, Bro Amir.

This interview was conducted by Tolu Olorunda, Staff Writer for YourBlackWorld.com

Conservative Senator: Shoot-On-Sight...Obama

On the June 18, 2008 edition of the Don Wade & Roma Morning Show, Rep. Mark Kirk, of Illinois's 10th congressional district, spoke of an hypothetical assassination attempt on Sen. Barack Obama. For those of us who can recall, this would not be the first time a Conservative has spoken of Barack Obama in such terms. Late last month, FOX News Contributor, Liz Trotta, referred to the controversy surrounding Hillary Clinton's reference to RFK's assassination, saying; "Some are reading it as a suggestion that somebody knock off Osama," and when corrected by the interviewer, Bill Hemmer, she said, "Obama. Well...both if we could!"

Republican Talk-Show Host Assaults Michelle Obama

On the June 18, 2008 broadcast of MSNBCS's "Verdict with Dan Abrams," Conservative Talk-Show Host, Lars Larson, spoke of Michelle Obama as an ungrateful, lazy and un-fulfilled woman. Unfortunately, the host of the show, Dan Abrams, was unable to take control of the incident or reprimand his guest. Coincidentally, this would not be the first time Dan Abrams has refused to defend a Black Woman being verbally-assaulted on his show: http://youtube.com/watch?v=o45G2actM8I . When would this madness stop?!!! Would Cindy McCain, Hillary Clinton or Laura Bush be treated the same way???!!!!! Black Women are being incessantly assailed by the rhetoric of Chauvinists, without any ramifications. It is incumbent upon us to do what is necessary to protect the integrity of our women: